Pull of the Ocean
by littleglowbug
Summary: Katara and Sokka reunite with an old friend. Said old friend starts to meddle and plot and connive. { canon divergent, zutara endgame, not ship-centric }
1. Chapter 1

**{ A/N: There are several AU themes in this story. Be forewarned, the first bits are centered mostly around an OC, Gina, & the mystery character that shows up. **_Also FYI; Gina means 'silvery', she was named this due to the color of her eyes._ **PLEASE REVIEW. ****}**

Waves slosh onto the shore of the beach, the foamy water nearly touching the edge of a tent set up on the compact sand. A girl with long, untamed, dark brown hair and choppy bangs sits just outside the tent, the wind and rain whipping around her. She's staring idly at the foam as it gets closer, then is drawn back into the ocean, her sharp silver eyes tracking the water's movements.

She was completely alone, only having her white hamster named Mochi as company. Not that it was bad company, the small rodent curled up against her frequently and gave her a small amount of comfort.

Mochi chitters at her, scampering up her arm and nuzzling against her neck. Her hand comes up to scratch lightly against the area between its ears. There's a flash of lightning and Mochi squeaks at her, scrambling down her arm and into the tent. A sigh passes the girl's lips, and she also turns and crawls back into the tent.

She's in uncharted territory at the moment, staying on an island a few miles away from what she think is the Western Air Temple.

For the past few months she's been travelling around, solving small crimes and trying to help people. She's also been looking for someone. Two someones, really. A girl and boy she met when she was in the Southern Water Tribe about two years ago. The three were best friends, and she misses them, sure, but there are other reasons she's looking for them.

When she went back to the Tribe, she spoke to Gran-Gran and the elder woman told her that Katara was the last Southern Waterbender and that her and Sokka had gone off with, surprise of all surprises, the Avatar. Gran-Gran had fed and housed her for a week or so while she made a plan, and when she departed, she was given a hairpin to give to Katara, and a beaded necklace to give to Sokka. She, herself, got supplies and Mochi.

She's almost one hundred percent sure Katara is a Master by now, and she needs a Master. Plus, it'd be pretty cool to travel with the Avatar. Maybe she'll encounter some of the people she'd met while travelling the world again.

She lies down on her makeshift cot, Mochi curling up on her chest. Her silver eyes stare at the ceiling while the rain pounds against the tarp outside, then turns to stare at the side of her tent. There's a dull light she can see through the fabric of the tent. She shoots up, wincing as Mochi's claws dig into her skin. The rodent jumps down onto the floor, scrambling into her bag to hide.

Crawling out of the tent, she walks around and away from the tent, drawing the light, and the person holding it, away from her tent.

"Who are you?" She demands it, holding out her hand to the side, palm facing the ocean. A pillar of water gradually twists up, and she's ready to send it flying at this stranger.

"Whoa! Don't- I'm not here to hurt you!" It's a masculine voice, and she pauses as they come into the light. It's a man, for sure. He has messy brown hair, lighter than hers by a few shades, and dark eyes. "I just noticed your tent and, well, came down to check it out."

"What's your name?" Her tone is still distrusting, but the spiraling pillar of water has dropped back into the ocean.

The boy smirks a little bit, "I'm Jet. I see you're a waterbender. I knew a waterbender girl, once. She was… she was something," he looks lost in memory for a moment, but his eyes refocus on her.

"What, uh, what was her name?" A feeling of hope sprung inside her. Maybe it was Katara!

"Katara. Last I saw her-"

"You knew Katara?! Where- where did you last see her?" She couldn't help how excited she got, how she jumped up and down for a moment while Jet's smirk widens.

He waits until she stops moving, only answering when she makes an impatient noise, "We last saw each other in the Earth Kingdom. I- I kind of went crazy, I guess. Started freaking about the Fire Nation and all that. I got taken somewhere and brain washed. Her and her friends took me back and, well… she thinks I'm dead. Rightfully so, I should be dead.

"But Smellerbee and Longshot, my friends, got me to a healer before I could. After I recovered we went back to what we used to do- steal from the rich, give to the poor. We got separated a week or so back. I've been trying to find them, but… to no avail." Jet finishes speaking and looks back up at the girl, "So what's your name? How do you know Katara?"

"Gina. I lived with the Southern Water Tribe for almost two years when I was 10 or 11. I'm 15, now. Katara, Sokka, and I were best friends until I left to go back to my own Tribe. Then my Tribe's land was raided by Fire Nation soldiers and turned into a- a base, I think. I lived in a small Tribe. It was west off the Fire Nation, so I guess it makes sense that it'd be taken over at some point.

"Anyways, I went back to the South and, well, I was informed of where and with who Katara and Sokka were travelling. So, uh, I guess I just… decided to pursue them. Plus, maybe Katara can help me with my bending!" Gina grins and claps her hands together. "So, where are you staying?"

"Kind of, uh, under a tree. I don't have a tent or anything. This," he gestures to what he was wearing, the lantern, and his weapons on his back, "is all I have, actually."

"You're staying under a tree?! Not anymore! You can stay in my tent, and in the morning when the storm is over we can talk more about what next. Maybe you could tag along with me, it'd be a lot of fun to have someone, y'know, to talk to." Gina was unsure if this was a good idea, but kindness in this world wasn't something that happened often. She smiled at him and motioned for him to follow her into her tent.

They climbed in, and Gina immediately bent the water from Jet's clothes, flipping the entrance open. The water moved out and fell into the sand. She did the same for herself and closed the entrance.

She sniffles and gestures for Jet to lie down, "Sorry if it's a tight fit. And I know we just met and all, but there might be some clinging to you in the middle of the night type of stuff," she genuinely smiles at him.

Jet gives her a slight smile and lies his head down on the pillow after taking his hook swords off his back, laying them on the ground. Gina flops down, as well, keeping some distance between herself and her new companion. Her eyes have only been closed for a few seconds, it seems, when the bright light of morning stirs her awake.

The boy next to her is still peacefully sleeping, so Gina leaves him to rest and exits the tent. She stares out at the ocean for a few minutes, a smile on her face. She was a child of the ocean, just like Katara. The Northern Water Tribe were children of the moon, and while moon and ocean worked together, they were very different. The ocean is raging and uncontrolled, the moon is temperamental and patient. Gina decides that, before she packed up and left (with or without Jet), she would meditate for a while.

She takes off her shoes and waves her hand over the shallow ocean water. It freezes over and she climbs onto the sturdy ice, sitting with the bottoms of her feet touching and her back straight. She takes a deep breath in, tasting the salty ocean air on her tongue. She releases the breath and her soul relaxes, chi clearing out.

Once her mind is cleared, she blinks open her eyes and it takes a moment for her thoughts to return, and when they do it's organized and tame, just like the ocean is now.

Quite a while ago, she went to the Earth Kingdom. It's her least favorite, because she's just not close enough to the ocean. The moon offers her little comfort besides boosting her power, it's not like the ocean, which soothes her when she even looks at it. It's so… nice.

There's a clamoring behind her, and she assumes it's Jet. She stands, her muscles aching pleasantly. Gina turns around and steps off the ice, dissipating it back into liquid with a flick of her wrist. She puts her shoes back on and walks back to the tent, peeking into it to see a disheveled-looking Jet putting his hook sword sheath back on his shoulders.

"Hi," Gina says, ducking into the tent, "How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I would have under a tree."

Gina laughs, her pink lips stretching into a wider grin. "Very true," she then blinks and yawns, rubbing her eyes. "So, what's your plan?"

"I want to come with you. I think I owe everyone an apology. Plus, maybe they'll be happy I'm not dead, and I could find Smellerbee and Longshot travelling around with you."

"Well good! I have a hunch that they're at the Western Air Temple, which is about a day's journey from here on boat!"

"What makes you think that they're at the Temple?" Jet furrows his eyebrows.

Gina starts packing up the cot, "Well, I don't know. Partly I feel a pull towards it, but also from the information I've gathered, that seems like a place the Avatar would take his group to, you know? Relatively familiar ground, so they have the advantage if they're attacked. Plus, it never hurts to check."

"Yeah… yeah, I guess that makes sense. Familiar ground." Jet nods and starts to help, picking up Gina's bag only to make a noise of surprise and drop it as Mochi scampers out and up Jet's arm, chittering excitedly.

"Mochi! You silly boy, you." Gina leaned over and held out her hand, onto which the white fluff ball jumped. She was grinning, and looking up at Jet. He was eyeing her.

"Do you have anymore strange rodents in your stuff?" He asked, and Gina just laughs, shaking her head.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Please please please review ! it really helps me with motivation.

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><p>Katara had been having weird dreams. They involved Jet, sometimes. Other times they depicted an old friend of hers and Sokka's returning. It also seems that the Ocean Spirit, La, was more active than usual, tugging at her blood, wanting her to return to the ocean.<p>

The dreams weren't necessarily unpleasant. In fact, when she dreamt of her old friend returning, she tended to wake up smiling yet tearful. She thinks the dreams of Jet are the worst. She's sure her friend is still alive, but Jet is likely deader than dead, and he was her first crush. Her first kiss. It made her heart ache to think he was dead, and to think that she could've saved him, if she had only stayed and healed him.

She'd been staring at the fire for minutes, zoned out. Toph sighs, "What's up, Sugar Queen? You seem distant, and your heartbeat is all over the place. What's on your mind?"

"Is it the weird dreams you've been having?" Aang asked, looking concerned. Zuko tunes in now, curious about the dream Katara's apparently been having.

Katara exhales deeply, "Yeah, I guess. It's just stupid, weird dreams I've been having. About an old friend and about… it's not important, they're not real. Just dreams."

"Dreams are rarely ever just dreams, Katara," Aang sounds wise, sure, but his tone grates on Katara's nerves.

"Well they are this time! Jet's dead, okay? Forever. Gone. They are just. Dreams." Katara snaps, but then her eyes soften immediately, "Aang, I'm so sorry. I just- I've been dreaming about an old friend of mine and Jet coming back and I'm homesick and I'm- I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to yell."

"It's okay, Katara. I understand," Aang smiles softly and goes back to eating.

Sokka is staring at Katara with an odd look in his eyes. Suki has her knee pressed to his thigh, offering the Tribesman a bit of comfort. "Katara, the old friend you're dreaming about… is it-"

"Yes. It is. But she's gone, she doesn't even know we're not in the South anymore. Could you drop it, please?" Katara stands up, leaving her bowl on the ground. She storms back into her tent, icing the entrance shut. She sighs impatiently, lying down on her blankets, burying her head in her pillow.

She takes several long, deep breaths. She missed Gina, she really did. She even kind of missed Jet, and in her dreams they were travelling together. That was such a weird, random pairing to dream about. It threw her off because what if they were actually trying to find her and the others?

Katara wonders if the group would welcome them with open arms, or if two non-benders would be too much hassle. Jet had training in fighting, but Katara was pretty sure Gina wouldn't be able to hold her ground.

When she stayed with Katara's family many years ago, she was shorter than her, and very dainty and fragile. She had the most beautiful eyes, and if Katara was honest with herself, she would admit her massive crush on the girl that she had.

Katara is over it, now, she's sure. When she was little, she would picture them getting married, but now she just wants her around. Maybe after this all was over, if she survived, she could go looking for Gina again.

Gina and Jet pack up quickly, the girl happy to have Jet to carry some of her supplies, because her back was constantly aching now, so help was nice. Jet asks her about how they'll be crossing the bit of the ocean to get to the Western Air Temple.

The waterbender doesn't answer with words- instead twists her fist at the water, ice forming a boat shaped block, "Get in," she grins, climbing into the cold, makeshift boat. When Jet joins her tentatively, she waves her hand and the floating mass of ice shoots out, catching the currents towards the Western Air Temple.

She isn't looking forward to climbing, she hates heights and gets breathless very easily. Gina looks down at her brown hands, sighing softly and moving to dip her fingertips into the water, finding some comfort in its flow.

Gina and Katara looked rather similar when they were children, same skin tone and same body shape, same height and same hairstyle. She wonders how Katara had changed. She feels eyes on her, and looks up to meet Jet's eyes. She smiles sweetly at him, then turns to face him completely.

"How did you meet Katara?" Gina asks, glancing back to check their progress.

"Her, Aang, and Sokka got trapped by Fire Nation soldiers, and my former Freedom Fighters, that's what we were called, and I helped 'em out…" Jet furrows his eyebrows, "She was my first girlfriend, I think."

"First kiss, too?"

"It wasn't my first kiss, but it was hers, I think." Jet admits, shrugging.

Gina nodded, "I think Sokka might have been the first boy I kissed, though I kind of kissed him on accident, and started crying right afterwards because I thought it meant we had to get married," she giggled, insanely glad for companionship other than her hamster.

Speaking of, Gina hadn't fed Mochi since midday yesterday. She hadn't eaten herself, actually. She flips open her bag, Mochi darting up her arm, scratching lightly at her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, food, I gotcha," Gina takes out a carrot as well, holding it up so Mochi could nibble on it while she takes out some bread and salted beef for her and Jet. She hands Jet his bit of food and eats her own quickly, reaching behind her to grab a water canteen. She holds it out to Jet like an offering, and he accepts with a gracious smile.

After Jet takes a drink, Gina takes it back, sipping the cool water for a few moments. She screws the cap back on, setting it and the carrot Mochi is eating on the fabric of her bag, Mochi hopping down to continue eating.

"Wanna see something cool I learned while I was bored one day?" Gina asks after roughly five minutes of friendly silence. Jet nodded, shifting into a more comfortable position.

The girl puts her hand out above the water, coaxing a large stream of water from the sea. She then begins to move her hands as if writing, the water hurrying to mimic her actions.

When she's done, she clenches her fist and the water freezes, beginning to fall. She reaches out and grabs it, holding it up. It was her name, written in ice. Not carved from ice, but written in it. "I can draw, too. Animals and stuff… well, I can draw Mochi so far. One day I think I'll be able to write full pages of text, or draw more intricate animals before I get tired."

"Maybe one day you can draw me," Jet smirks, and Gina lets out a soft huff of laughter.

"I would be astounded if I could before I'm 90! But I'll try to learn one day soon. Just for you."

Jet seems satisfied, nodding with a glint in his eyes as he turns to stare out at the vast sea, narrowing his eyes suddenly, "Y'think that's the mountain thing we have to climb?" He asks Gina.

"Uh, yeah, actually, it probably is!" Gina grins and stands up quickly, rocking the ice. She sees Jet grab uselessly at the ice, making a noise of surprise.

Gina giggles, slowly waving her arms, bending the water around them so that the ice block shoots forwards. It took a lot of energy from her, but she managed to get the square of frozen water to the shore of the large mass of land.


	3. Chapter 3

{ A/N : and now they all meet :D reviews are much appreciated ! they really inspire me to write more, even if it's just a simple 'nice story'. please, please leave your opinions ! i love love love reading reviews ! }

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><p>Gina and Jet gather their things, beginning their long trudge to the Western Air Temple. Gina knew that it was in a very unconventional area, probably well hidden.<p>

About an hour passed before they reached a spacious cliff. Gina furrowed her eyebrows, jogging over the rock that had a thick length of rope tied to it, the rest of the rope hanging off the cliff. "Jet! I think I found where someone got to the Temple!" Gina was so excited, securing all her two bags to her body. "Hang on, Mochi," she kissed the rodent's nose and smiled when it dug its claws into the strap of her bag, burrowing close to her.

"I'll go first!" Gina proclaims, grabbing tightly to the rope and dropping off the edge, kicking her feet from the rocky cliff. She slides down the rope, stopping herself for a moment, beginning to swing. Gina jumps, landing lightly on her feet, Jet a few seconds behind. He sort of stumbles, but Gina catches him, steadying him.

"Sorry… I guess I'm a bit well, not used to jumping from swinging ropes. I've been out of practice," Jet chuckles. Gina shakes her head.

"It's totally o-"

"Watch out!" Jet shouts, yanking Gina out of the way as a stream of fire shoots at her. Gina stumbles back, and the two fall to the ground, Jet quickly taking out his swords. When Gina looks up next, she sees a boy with a scar sending fireball after fireball at Jet; said boy dodging them all, running towards the bender.

Gina struggles to her feet, gently placing her bag on the ground, Mochi jumping inside of it, hiding. She scans the area for water, eyes settling on a large fountain. One deep breath later, Gina is running after Jet.

"Fire Nation _scum_!" She hears Jet's voice, and suddenly she sees his body fly past her, obviously unconscious. Waving her arms frantically, Gina sends out tendrils of water from a nearby fountain to catch the boy, setting him lightly on the ground.

A blast of fire just barely misses her. She redirects the tendrils, blindly whipping them out towards the attacks. However, before the water can make contact with anyone, it's repossessed, and Gina struggles with it for several moments before she's knocked back as well. She lands hard on her rear, the air clearing from dust instantly.

"Who are y-" It's Katara. She sees Gina and just… stops talking. The water tentacles fall to the stone ground as the second waterbender runs to Gina, falling to her knees and embracing her.

"I didn't know you were a waterbender," Gina says it softly, arms holding Katara against her.

"I didn't know _you _were a waterbender!" Katara pulls back, her eyes bright and lively. Gina is suddenly reminded why she had a crush on Katara when they were young. She was- is -incredibly beautiful.

"GINA!" She recognizes the voice as Sokka because it's loud and male and boisterous. Gina laughs, standing to hug Sokka tightly as well.

"Yeah, yeah, this is nice and all but can someone explain to me what just happened? _Blind_, remember?" It's a young voice, and Gina glances up to see a tiny blind girl, about 12 or 13 years old. "Who is this new lady? And who's her boyfriend? Is it Jet?! What is going on here?!"

"He's, uh, not my boyfriend?" Gina tries, glancing back at Jet, who was just lying on the stone ground. "Uh… Jet, you okay?" she calls out to him, and ignores the firebender's soft "I hope not".

Jet starts to struggle to his feet, "Totally okay!" he assures, dripping wet and looking rather dizzy.

"Alright!" Another voice joins the party, and Gina looks over to see the Avatar. She can't help but to stand a bit straighter. "Let's all get cleaned up and eat some food! Then you-" he addresses Gina, "-can tell us all about what happened and who you are and why Sokka and Katara know you! Also why Jet is alive. 'Cause we all thought he was dead."

"So I've heard," Gina nods, jogging over to Jet, supporting some of his body weight with an arm around his waist. "Sokka, can you grab my bag?"

"Beware of creepy white rodents," Jet warns Sokka, laughing when Gina kicks him a bit.

Sokka gives Jet and Gina a suspicious look and picks up Gina's fallen bag gingerly, slinging it over his shoulder. He jogs to catch up to the group as they move towards the makeshift camp, watching Jet and Gina closely from behind them.

Gina is like another sister to Sokka, and he doesn't want to see Jet hurt Gina like he hurt Katara. Maybe Jet's better now, maybe coming back from the dead helped his cruddy attitude and arrogance go away. He supposes Jet could turn out like Zuko: a decent human. Though Zuko seems to be getting too close to Katara as well, and it's making Sokka angry and confused because Katara just accepts it. With open arms, in fact!

As he watches the two newcomers, he takes note that they do still seem slightly awkward around each other. Almost like they're still trying to figure each other out, sort of like he and Katara with Aang, and each new addition to the group.

"So!" Sokka pipes up when they reach camp, setting Gina's bag down, not noticing the white hamster running out to greet Gina. "When did you two meet and where and why are you here and how did you find us?"

Gina blinks absently at Sokka, gathering his questions and thinking them over while she bends the water from Jet's clothes and hair, refilling her seal hide water canteen with said water. "We just met yesterday night, by the ocean a mile or so away. I've been looking for you and Katara for months, and Jet got separated from Smellerbee and Longshot, so... I was thinking he could come along? Or, well, also me, too, but... Him, also. Because... yeah." Suddenly she got awkward , not wanting to push the group to accept her. "Anyways, I figured Avatar Aang would go to familiar ground, and this Temple was closest to where I was."

"Just call me Aang, please," Gina is surprised to see that Aang looks sheepish. "And I think you two can come along! We love help and I'm sure Appa won't mind two new passengers," Aang grins, glancing back at a sky bison that Gina hadn't noticed- why hadn't she noticed? -and says, "Right, buddy?" Appa makes a groaning sound, that seems suspiciously like agreement.

"I won't travel with _him_." It's the scarred boy who speaks next, glaring daggers at Jet.

"Oh boo hoo, suck it up. You are such a-" Jet starts, but Gina cuts him off.

"Anyways, Aang, I would be honored if you allowed us to travel with you. We can earn our keep, and if you, at any time, want us to leave, we can do so." Gina smiles and ignores the looks the Fire Nation boy and Jet are giving her. Surprise and confusion. Her favorites.


End file.
